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It is my personal opinion that Young Living crushed it when putting together the most recent Premium Starter Kit. Every oil is so usable in many different ways. And they cover the bases from A to Z. It’s hard to imagine ever needing (wanting!) anything outside of those dozen powerhouses. But alas, each month I scroll through the product section of the YL site with longing in my heart, as I customize my monthly wellness box.

Here are my 20 Favorites that I have collected after purchasing my starter kit. These are things I will not be without after using and loving them. These are the things that get used daily or close to it.

1. Cedarwood: Cedarwood has a woodsy, warm, balsamic aroma that creates a relaxing, calming, and comforting atmosphere to help support your nighttime routine. It smells amazing when paired with lavender, either in a diffuser or roller. It’s also an important part of my Bedtime Bravery diffuser blend. (See this post for the recipe.)

2. Orange: Orange has a sweet, bright aroma. With just a few drops, you can fill any space with a sense of peace, harmony, and creativity. This is also an ingredient in my Bedtime diffuser blend. Orange is great to pair with any oil or oil blend that smells too floral for your tastes.

3. Grapefruit: It’s the sweet, invigorating scent that associates Grapefruit essential oil with feelings of joy, satisfaction, and playfulness. It smells so good and so fresh. Definitely a favorite for morning diffusing in the kitchen as I get the day started.

4. Lime: With a bright and refreshing citrus scent, Lime essential oil smells just like freshly sliced limes. When diffused, this summery aroma can uplift your environment. I especially love it paired with Bergamot or Grapefruit. Can you tell I love citrus oils?

5. Bergamot: The last citrus oil on my list. Bergamot has a beautiful and uplifting aroma. It’s no wonder why it’s a common note in many perfumes. A close friend calls this her “happy oil” and I can totally see why!

6. Tea Tree: You’d have to live under a rock to not have heard about the benefits of Tea Tree oil. It is one of the most widely used and extensively researched essential oils. The benefits of Tea Tree oil include cleansing properties and a refreshing scent and can be used for everything from home cleaning solutions to skin care.

7. Eucalyptus Radiata: Spa vibes, anyone? Eucalyptus has a sharp and fresh aroma that sparks a sense of refreshment and promotes a stimulating and rejuvenating environment anywhere it’s diffused. I love it paired with lavender. The benefit of respiratory support is well documented, too.

8. Oregano: An absolute must for my Wellness roller, which also includes Starter Kit oils Thieves, Frankincense, and Lemon. A quick Google search on the benefits of oregano oil will leave you with a day’s worth of reading!

9. Copaiba: Years ago I was told that Copaiba is the “enhancer” oil or the “amplifier” oil. Meaning, it will enhance the benefits of any oil you pair it with. For this reason, you’ll see it added to many roller recipes.

10. Vetiver: Vetiver essential oil’s aroma is earthy, eclectic, and exotic. It is super thick and takes a little finesse and a lot of patience to get it out of the bottle. It’s worth it though – I love Vetiver rolled onto the bottom of my feet at bedtime.

11. Northern Lights Black Spruce: My favorite thing to do/place to be in THE ENTIRE WORLD is hike in the mountains with my family. The sights, the sounds, the smells…ah, it makes me happy just thinking about it. Since we don’t live in the mountains, this oil helps bring the mountains to me in the suburbs. I take a huge inhale from the bottle when I need to escape life’s stress quickly. I love it diffused alone or mixed with pretty much anything. It’s also in one of my favorite DIY recipes, Lindsey Elmore’s Winter Hand Salve. This little jar of amazingness lives on my nightstand.

12. Purification: The name really says it all. Purification blend is great for zapping stinky odors in the air. Common uses, aside from diffusing, include adding a couple drops to laundry soap or on a wool dryer ball. I keep a paper towel in the bottom of our kitchen trash can (under the bag) and put a drop or two of Purification on it every time I change out a full bag for a fresh one. We also keep a diluted rollerball bottle ready for summertime bug bites!

13. Christmas Spirit: This one pretty much dominates my diffuser from November to January. Christmas Spirit taps into the happiness, joy, and comfort associated with the holiday season. It combines Orange, Cinnamon Bark, and Spruce to create a warm, spicy, and sweet Christmas essential oil blend. Holiday Happiness in a bottle!!

14. White Angelica: I am a recovered candle lover. We know they’re bad for us and that candles are a huge source of indoor air pollution (along with harsh cleaners and air fresheners.) We ditched the candles in favor of our YL oils YEARS ago. They support our health instead of hurting it. But sometimes I miss a good candle aroma. Enter White Angelica. It smells like a high end candle you’d find at Nordstrom. White Angelica combines 10 oils in one perfect little bottle. Smells. So. Good. It was created to promote a positive atmosphere and inspire feelings of security and optimism—no matter what life throws at you. I like a drop on my shoulders at the beginning of the day.

15. Endoflex: I use Endoflex every single morning. A Diamond leader I follow on social media likes to say Endoflex = Energy. It was created to support the endocrine system. I roll it on my throat and inner ankles.

16. Sleepyize: Sleepyize is from the KidScents line, formulated and prediluted with the little members of our families in mind. This one is a blend of calming and quieting oils. My son rolls it onto his upper chest as part of his bedtime routine.

17. Deep Relief: This was the first YL roller that I purchased. I don’t mind DIYing my own roller bottles at home but this particular blend only comes as a ready-to-go roller. And it does not disappoint. Deep Relief has that good tingle and is amazing at helping to melt tension away. I love it on the back and sides of my neck, along the tops of my shoulders, and sometimes on my lower back.

18. Progessence Plus: Another oil that I use every single day. At bedtime, rolled onto my forearms or inner thighs to keep my hormones happy.

19. Rose Ointment: Rose Ointment is a deeply nourishing blend and the answer to so many skin problems. A little goes a long way! We use it anywhere that feels in need of some extra love and attention. Think of that raw feeling on your nose and upper lip after you’ve blown your nose 342 times.

20. Thieves Household Cleaner: I could go on and on about Thieves Household Cleaner but I’ll keep it simple so I don’t bore you. How does a plant-based cleaner that offers effective, deep cleaning without the harsh or dangerous chemicals found in many traditional cleaning products sound? Good? Great! This cleaner is highly concentrated and will last you for months and months. I use it on EVERYTHING in our house, cars, RV, etc. One capful added to a glass spray bottle and filled with water is all you need. It ends up being around $1 per bottle to safely clean your home. Take that, store-bought “green” cleaners!!

BONUS!! I know I said 20 but it would feel wrong not to mention my most favorite oil of all time. White Light. I didn’t include it in the original list because it’s a special edition oil that it isn’t available often. I grabbed two bottles (the limit!) during the last Black Friday sale and consider myself lucky because it sold out in minutes. This oil captures the essence of a forest and then speaks its story to my soul. (I would have thought that sounded crazy before I got my hands on this oil.) It’s a blend of White fir, White cedar, White spruce, and White pine. And it’s perfect. My favorite way to use it is right before a meditation. It’s the perfect combination of grounding + uplifting. I cherish these two tiny bottles and will always buy more whenever given the chance.

I hope this inspires you to try something new or gives you an idea for a use you hadn’t thought of. Keep using your bottles of plant magic!

So, Coronavirus. It has come in like a wrecking ball and suddenly nothing in life looks quite the same as it did a week ago. People are scared, schedules are disrupted, and routines have been chewed up and spit out. As a nation, we are in uncharted waters. As a parent, you may be too now that schools have closed and your kid’s education is in your hands for the coming weeks. Don’t worry! As a homeschooling mom of 8 years, I am going to tell you what you should know in order to do this.

Firstly, you don’t need another list of homeschooling resources. They’ve been popping up like crazy the past few days and they are all very helpful. But that isn’t what I have in mind when friends have messaged me asking for advice on what to do or how to survive this thing they didn’t sign up for. Instead, this is what I want them to know…

You have your kids home with you on the weekends. On holiday breaks. And the stay-at-home moms, the work-at-home moms, and moms that work in schools do this all summer long. This isn’t much different! It’s just falling onto a part of the calendar where it typically wouldn’t. Instead of focusing on how new or strange this is for you right now, remind yourself that you’ve done it before.

It takes a little patience and a lot of grace.

There’s a common myth out there and we hear it all the time: “I could never homeschool; I don’t have the patience.” Guess what? Homeschool parents don’t have super human patience levels. In fact, some days we start out in the red zone on the patience meter and go nuclear by the time the first kid asks for a snack. This is where the grace comes in. You need to extend grace to your kids and even a little more to yourself. Days don’t go as planned and that’s okay. Your students won’t always be cooperative and that’s okay, too. You’re going to lose it and then feel terribly guilty and that’s when I really want you to be full of grace. And while you’re throwing grace around like confetti, make sure you sprinkle some on your to-do list, the laundry piles, and the countertops that need to be cleaned.

Homeschooling is not school-at-home.

The majority of homeschoolers, myself included, don’t try to replicate the structure or schedule of a brick & mortar school at home. It’s unnecessary and will most likely end up in frustration and failure. Having a plan is great, don’t get me wrong. But living life by a bell in your home feels a little cold and, well, not very homelike. Homeschooling is more fluid because it can be. We don’t have to keep 25-35 kids on task throughout the day. There is the luxury of a much different teacher to student ratio. So please don’t feel overwhelmed thinking that you suddenly have to reproduce your kid’s school day.

You’d be hard-pressed to find a day in our homeschool journey that didn’t include, “Take a break! Go run around!” I often wonder if teachers would see certain negative behaviors decline if students had a 10 minute recess between every class. If you notice your child is losing patience or the cooperation is waning, it’s time for a break. My favorite is sending them right out to the backyard to run it off in the fresh air and, hopefully, sunshine. Sometimes we’ll take a walk together. If the weather is bad, I suggest cranking up some music and playing a dance game. Everyone dances it out while the music is playing but when you hit pause – FREEZE! Make up your own rules. They’ll think it’s great. Whatever you can do to help them move and get some of their energy out is now the Swiss Army Knife in your toolbox.

Do what you can, with what you have, and what you know.

There is a good chance you might be nervous or intimidated by what’s in front of you. Maybe it’s common core math or a foreign language. Maybe the packet sent home for this break is huge or you can’t quite figure out the cyber-learning platform your district is utilizing. The first thing you need to do is breathe and remember… there was a time that you were a brand new parent and someone sent you home with a baby that did not include an instruction manual. And not only did you figure it out but you taught them things. Before you sent your babies off to school, YOU were their first teacher. You are equipped for this because experience says you’ve already done it. Do your best with what you have and what you know. And then ask for help if you need it! Google, YouTube, your friendly neighborhood middle school teacher who is home now too or a Facebook friend that homeschools her kids. The one silver lining that has already emerged from this crisis is that people are offering to help in a multitude of ways. And if all of that fails – I can promise you that a few weeks will not make or break your child’s academic career.

One of two things is happening in your home right now. Either your child is too young to understand what is going on or they are old enough to understand it all. Both are scary. They’re scared. Everything is different and they can feel the fear and the panic. Maybe they’re asking questions and opening up to you or maybe they’re trying to put on a brave face and act like everything is normal. (Hmm. Ever wonder where they get that from?) Loving on your babies is more important than any worksheet that has been sent home. Take this time to hold them in your arms, kiss their sweet faces, and just let them know that you’re here and that you are all going to be okay. It’s all going to be okay. The gift among the chaos is that we’re being forced to slow down and stay home. Use the time to fill their buckets and yours.

My sincere hope is that you can take something from this that will ease your worries and calm your heart. This is my way of wrapping you in a hug and saying, “It’s going to be okay.”

My two kids are a mixed bag when it comes to sleep. My daughter has always been a great sleeper and made it easy on us. I believe that is because she was a preemie and got used to a schedule during her time in the NICU. (71 days!) She was the toddler that would come tell me “nap time” with her blanket in hand and lead me to her room to tuck her in. And she’s never been one to call me back into her room after I’ve said goodnight. Her little brother on the other hand…

Oh, I couldn’t have kept count of how many hours I spent trying to get him to sleep. As an infant, he’d wake up the second I laid him in his crib. I’d shush and sway him until I couldn’t take it anymore and tears flowed down my face. I begged, pleaded, and prayed for some sleep! That is definitely a time that I wouldn’t want to revisit.

As he grew, bedtime became easier but the overnight trouble began. He’d wake often, sometimes complaining of nightmares, and not settle back down in his room. Eventually this, too, resolved.

Then came the nights where I swore I was going to wear out the carpet between our bedroom and his. I’d say our goodnight and tuck his little 9 year old body tightly into bed. As soon as I got comfortable, I’d hear him call for me. His mind wouldn’t settle or his thoughts drifted to a place that made him worried or scared. And on and on this went a few nights each week.

My boy is confident, outgoing, and very charming. We call him “The Mayor.” Shaking hands and kissing babies? Pretty much. But come bedtime, he turns into a totally different kid. He becomes worried and anxious; uncomfortable in the stillness and the darkness. Despite reassuring him of his safety and our constant presence, he struggles. It has taken some time to find the combination of things that help but I think we’ve finally nailed it. I am so happy that we are able to help him.

1. No YouTube or violent/scary games, shows, movies, etc.

I figured out pretty quickly that YouTube was a major culprit. He’d watch things like Nerf or box fort videos that were innocent enough but the ads that played contained images that haunted him at night. It’s been two years since YouTube has been blocked on any device that he has access to and let me tell you – it’s been the best decision. (YouTube is a dangerous place for kids anyway and their parental controls leave everything to be desired. But that’s a long post for another day.) We also censor other media that would be upsetting to him.

2. Limit caffeine consumption

My son is definitely sensitive to caffeine. We’re a soda-free household but he was occasionally taking part at restaurants or friends’ homes. Other sources are tea, iced tea, and chocolate. We have banned all sodas and make sure that any tea he has is decaf or, preferably, caffeine-free. Chocolate is something all of us enjoy but we limit his consumption in the evenings. Sometimes rules like this cause disappointment or even defiance in a kid but I just remind him what his night will be like and he is happier to comply.

3. Weighted Blanket

You’ve probably heard of the benefits of weighted blankets and we can definitely say that we’ve experienced them. The general rule of thumb is the blanket should weigh 10% of your body weight. My requirement was that it come with a removable, washable cover and be made from 100% cotton fabric. After a ton of research, I went with this one and my sweet boy has been sleeping under it ever since. He says it feels like he’s being hugged in his bed.

4. Essential Oils

We use our Young Living essential oils two different ways at bedtime. It has taken some trial and error but I am so happy that we’ve found a combination that works for him! First, he rolls the KidScents SleepIze blend onto his chest. It’s prediluted with kids in mind. Here’s what YL has to say about it: Help your child settle in and sleep tight by diffusing or massaging this peaceful aroma directly before a nap or bedtime. Carefully blended with a variety of calming, quieting oils, SleepyIze™ promotes an atmosphere conducive to a calm, restful sleep. Whether diffused or applied topically, SleepyIze is an excellent way to help your child naturally relax at the end of the day.

Secondly, we run a diffuser just before and during bedtime. We use this diffuser in his room and so far have been very happy with it. It has a large capacity so it lasts many nights without needing to be refilled, has several color choices that my son loves, and has a timer function which was a must for me. He feels comforted by the light as he is falling asleep but studies show that light at night is not good for our health. With the timer capability, I am able to ensure that his room goes dark after 1 hour.

For over a year, we just went with lavender in the diffuser. Lavender is the king of relaxation, right? Well is was a real-life testament to every body reacting differently to oils. Lavender wasn’t cutting it for him. I needed something that would give him feelings of comfort and bravery. Once I had the idea, I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought of it sooner!!! Meet our Bedtime Bravery Blend. It smells amazing and does exactly what I need it to.

The best way I have found to reign in my kiddo’s runaway thoughts at bedtime is guided meditation. And my favorite way to get this guided meditation is with the free app, Insight Timer. They offer meditations and bedtime stories specifically for kids. I don’t receive anything for recommending this; in fact, the app creators don’t even know I exist. We just use it nightly and have been so happy with the results. They have wonderful offerings for adults, too. I tell people about it all the time.

As the seasons of life and stages of childhood have come and gone, the way we’ve dealt with sleep issues has changed as well. I hope our current routine can offer some help in your house too, mama.

** As part of the Amazon Associates program, I may receive a small commission for products linked here. This will be AT NO EXTRA COST to you. And remember – I will never suggest a product that I don’t actually use and love. Only genuine recommendations here, always.

Halloween has passed and the holiday season seems to instantly be in full swing. Retail stores are decked in their festive best and I’ve heard no less than 173 radio commercials for early Black Friday sales. Some of my favorite Instagrammers have not one but multiple Christmas trees up and decorated already.

It is easy to get overwhelmed with it all. The decorating, the gift-giving, the influx of social obligations, not to mention the extra time spent with and traveling to our relatives that may or may not bring out the best in us. And let’s not forget one of my least favorite scenarios this time of year…receiving an unexpected gift from someone that you didn’t buy a gift for. Isn’t that just the most awkward thing? *shudders* I hate it!

As a wife and a mom, most of the extra responsibility of the season falls on my plate. My husband usually offers an idea or two as far as gifts for our kids but the rest of it is all me. I’d like to think that over the years, I’ve honed my skills for managing it all while still being able to enjoy this time with my family.

Defining what “it all” means has been the key. The winning ticket. The answer you’ve been waiting for.

Listen closely.

I’m going to reveal my secret.

This is gold.

And could solve your holiday woes.

Ready?

You do not have to do it all.

Read that ^ again.

This is your permission to ditch the holiday things that don’t make you happy or that cause you unnecessary stress.

I know that you know that you’re an adult and you have the free will to make your own choices. And that you don’t need my permission for ANYTHING. Yet, how many of us pile onto our plates until it has spilled over onto our shoes and dirtied our floors and left us with another mess to clean? (So now we have a figurative mess on top of the literal mess!)

Why is it that we feel like we have to have piles and piles of the most perfect gifts under the tree and fourteen different types of homemade Christmas cookies? Coordinating outfits for the family for each event from now until New Year’s Eve? Christmas cards and the boatload of postage money that goes along with them? Pinterest-worthy teacher gifts? Taking the Polar Express train ride and attendinng tree lightings every year?

Whether it’s because these are things you’ve always done or you feel pressure from your coworker or your sister or your mother-in-law, I want you to stop. I’m begging you to stop. Think about why you’re doing what you’re doing and if the answer is not “because it brings me immense happiness,” then I want you to strongly consider pulling an Elsa and let it go! And do it without guilt because ain’t nobody got time for that this year.

Guard your energy and your time like a sentry and don’t let anything pass the gate unless the joy it brings you far outweighs the burden it carries. Your children will have amazing memories of a simplified holiday season, I promise. Chances are they’ll enjoy having a more relaxed and less overloaded mama more than some of the activities and fluff that we sometimes convince ourselves is necessary this time of year.

And please, be sure to reserve time to pop in your favorite holiday movie and share a fuzzy blanket and some warm cocoa with the ones you love.

I want this to be my first post because I believe that in order to get to where we want to be, we have to acknowledge and remember where we started. I believe this to be true in life, relationships, health, career, you name it. While I don’t think that our past defines us and you definitely should not live there, it’s a part of your story; a page in your book.

I want to have this page of mine documented so that 100 posts from now, I can look back at this very first one. It’s a hot summer morning and a very typical one for us. My husband is at work and my kids are playing in the next room. I can hear the crunch of tortilla chips that neither of them asked permission to have. (This surprises me zero percent. *eyeroll*)

Pages in a notebook and notes in my phone have been piling up. I have so much to say, to share. Partially because these thoughts and experiences have been filling my head and let’s face it – that’s prime real estate for a mom – and also because I have a strong desire for my words to reach even one other woman who needs to hear what I’ve penned.

There have been moments in my life that words have escaped me. The magnitude of what I was feeling was so enormous, that articulating it was a feat for which I just couldn’t muster the energy. It’s in those times that I reach for others. It could be a woman in my life; my sister comes to mind. She knows exactly what to say when I need her to say it. Other times it’s a blogger who lives on the opposite coast but somehow her words travel that distance and envelop me like a plush blanket when I crave comfort the most.